Trustees of the Horizons Trust Gambia

Trustees of the Horizons Trust UK

Alec Cumming MA, ACMA, CIPFA

Alec Cumming is Chief Executive Officer of the Immpact Project at the University of Aberdeen. Immpact aims to identify levels, causes and evidence of effectiveness in reducing maternal deaths in developing countries. Its work has been carried out by a partnership of seven institutions in developed and developing countries and Alec has been responsible for leading this partnership and ensuring delivery against the objectives set by the funders – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UK DFID and USAID. He is also responsible for leading the process of setting up a Centre for Sustainable International Development for the University of Aberdeen and for developing a network for International Development research and training covering Scotland’s Universities and Colleges (SCAID). Prior to joining the University of Aberdeen five years ago, for ten years Alec was Chief Executive of the Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust, one of the largest providers of acute medical services in the UK. In his earlier career, after graduating from the University of Aberdeen in 1968, Alec spent 18 months as a volunteer teacher with VSO in Kolkota, India and then trained as an accountant in industry. He joined the NHS as an accountant in 1975 and became Director of Finance first for NHS Grampian, and then for the Scottish Health Service.

Glenda Hogarth-Coull MBE

Glenda Hogarth-Coull MBE managed her own manufacturing safety service company in the offshore oil and gas industry for over 25 years. As a female in a very male dominated industry in the early 1970’s she pioneered the development of safety standards for protective clothing and apparel in the offshore oil and gas industry. The company was the first personal protective equipment company to be awarded ISO 9002/EN 9002 the European and international standard for quality systems. She worked in close liaison with the Dupont conglomerate providing knowledge into their development of flame retardant clothing. Her ambition drove her to be involved in the development of new horizons in the Azerbaijan Republic with the establishment of a multi-unit complex for training, tool rental, warehousing, fabrication and calibration. Glenda sat on various committees including the EU harmonization legislation for flame retardant clothing, Scottish Consultative Careers group, and the Scottish Law Society Complaints Committee. She was invited to the board for the launch of Scottish Enterprise, a government body who’s mission was to stimulate economic growth by supporting businesses through 13 Local Enterprise companies throughout Scotland with a fund of £540 million. She sat on the board of smaller companies including Risk Evaluation Services who pioneered surrogate travel for Offshore and Tayside Biotech. In 1990 Glenda was awarded the M.B.E. for services to the oil and gas industry.

Professor James N’Dow MB ChB, MD (Commendation), FRCS, FRCS (Urol)

Professor James N’Dow is the Project Leader and driving force behind the Horizons Clinic, The Gambia. He is leading an outstanding high profile team with a track record of success in business and in the healthcare sector around the world. His is committed to establishing sustainable high quality healthcare while providing broad access for ordinary Gambians and complementing the work of the Government to help strengthen the health system in The Gambia.

His world class experience includes a Professorship of Urological Surgery and Director of the internationally recognized Academic Urology Unit in the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. He also has vital in-country and sub-region health sector intelligence.

He was appointed to the first Chair of Urology in Aberdeen’s history and is Coordinating Editor of the Cochrane Incontinence Review Group.

His research interests are in Evidence Synthesis and Evidence-based Practice, large observational studies and multicentre randomized clinical trials with a research grant funding of over $16 million over the past 8 years. Professor N’Dow is also Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Urological CANcers (UCAN) Charity (www.ucanhelp.org.uk). UCAN has funded the opening of the first Urological Cancer Care Centre in Scotland. UCAN provides care and support to people in the North of Scotland diagnosed with urological cancers. UCAN also provides support to the family members of those affected tailoring that support specifically to the individual family’s needs.

In addition, Professor N’Dow has a Urological Surgical practice in the University of Aberdeen Teaching Hospitals specializing in urethral reconstructive surgery. He has contributed nationally to committees in Scottish Government, National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), United Kingdom Urology Specialty Advisory Committee, as well as the National Health Service in England. Internationally, he sits on the European Association of Urology Guidelines Board responsible for the production of 22 international guidelines in Urological Surgery and he is Trustee for the British Journal of Urology International Charitable Company.

Professor N’Dow has travelled back to The Gambia every year for the past 10 years with other UK trained specialists, consultant surgeons, anesthetists, and nurses to undertake charitable work in the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul. The team provides a broad range of treatments in addition to training local doctors and nurses to improve the standard of care they provide.

Dr Kathleen N’Dow

Dr Kathleen N’Dow is a General Practitioner in Aberdeen working as a fulltime partner at Skene Medical Group in Westhill, a suburb of Aberdeen with a specialist interest in minor surgery and mental health care. She is Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer in the University of Aberdeen School of Medicine and Dentistry, Division of Medical and Dental Education. She was born in Stonehaven, Scotland, and graduated from The University of Aberdeen in 1991. Dr N’Dow spent her medical elective study period working in the Medical Research Council in The Gambia in 1991. She has travelled back to the Gambia every year since.

Ron Taylor - Consulting Vice President

Ron brings clients extensive experience in strategic management, fundraising public relations and major gifts consultation throughout Europe and North America. He has personally headed up three major, successful fundraising campaigns with the counsel of GG+A and now has experience in providing counsel to many clients bringing success to their campaigns.

Ron is currently providing counsel to MGIMO – Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University), development of a fundraising program and a $30 million endowment fund, the first educational endowment in Russia Ferring SA., Geneva Switzerland Strachclyde University Scottish Opera South Georga Heritage Trust V&A Museum Dundee Robert Gordon University. He has especially enjoyed helping clients to gain success with their advancement programmes such as the Club of Madrid and MGIMO University. Recently, Ron was awarded a framed letter of appreciation from MGIMO University for helping them establish the first higher education endowment fund in Russia. The fund stands at more than $50 million US, raised in the first year.

At the University of Aberdeen, Ron had responsibility for generating external funding for more than 20 years. As Managing Director of the University spin-out companies, he also had responsibility for licensing technology, technology transfer, research grants and contracts management, public relations, community relations, and marketing, and he served as Executive Director of Aberdeen University Development Trust.

Ron’s earlier career included serving as managing director of an economic development programme on behalf of the public and private sectors to stimulate economic recovery in the North East of Scotland. During his tenure, he oversaw as more than 120 new businesses formed, 60 businesses expanded operations, and 14 businesses were brought back from difficulties. Over £30 million of private inward equity was attracted alongside £10 million of public investment.

As a businessman, Ron serves on a number of boards of directors. He is Chairman of Horizons Ltd., Unimed Scientific, and Albyn School. He is a director of P. DelAmo Ltd and Aberdeen Endowment Trust.

Ron has extensive experience and success raising money in the United States and throughout Europe.

Trustees of the Horizons Trust Gambia

Bishop Robert Ellison - Bishop of the Diocese of Banjul

Robert Patrick Ellison was born in Blackrock, Ireland in 1942. He was educated at Blackrock College, Dublin and University College, Dublin where he gained a BSc in 1965. Shortly afterwards he proceeded to Rome to study theology at Gregorian University and in 1970 was awarded an STL (Sacrae Theologiae Licentia) in dogma.

Bishop Ellison began his career in The Gambia teaching at St Augustine's High School. However he returned to Rome in 1972 studying theology, law and the history of Islam at the Pontifical Institute for Islamic & Arabic Studies. He was Priest in Charge of St Michael's Njongon 1973-1974. He continued to teach theology and subsequently Islamic Studies whilst Director of the Philosophy Formation House, in Dublin, Ireland. In 1980 he was awarded a certificate of Linguistics by the Summer Institute of Linguistics at High Wycombe, England.

Since 1981, Bishop Ellison has been deeply associated with The Gambia where he has served as Administrator of the Cathedral of Banjul, elevated to Vicar-General where he led the building and administration of the Junior Seminary in Lamin and subsequently was appointed Director. He served as parish priest of Star of the Sea, Bakau; District Superior of the Holy Spirit Congregation and in 1999 he returned to Rome as Secretary General of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.

On 25th February 2006, he was appointed Bishop of Banjul by Pope Benedict XVI.

Dr. Lamin Jonsaba Marenah - ORG., BSc, PhD, DSc (hc)

Dr Marenah gained a Certificate in Agriculture (Kirkley Hall Farm Institute); BSc Agric (Durham University), and two postgraduate diplomas in agriculture from University of Cambridge and Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture in Trinidad. He was awarded postgraduate honours (2.1) in agricultural botany (Durham University) in 1962 and PhD (Newcastle University) in 1966. He was the first Gambian male student to gain a doctorate and the first Gambian to be awarded a PhD in a science subject. He was President of the Africa Society at Newcastle in 1963. He was appointed agricultural learner in the Department of Agriculture in 1952, the first Gambian agricultural officer in 1958 and first Gambian Director of the Department of Agriculture in 1967. Dr Marenah served on the scientific and technical committees of African Groundnut Council and West Africa Rice Development Association.

In 1971, Dr Marenah was awarded the Medal of the Order of the Brilliant Star by the Republic of China (Taiwan), and in 1975 the ORG (Officer of the National Order of the Republic of The Gambia) for services to agriculture.

Dr Marenah worked for FAO (1976-93) in Somalia and its Regional Office for Africa, Accra, Ghana. As Regional Adviser on plant production and protection, importance was also attached to on-farm trials and demonstrations to prove to farmers and policymakers the social and economic benefits of adopting promising new technologies, and technical assistance to crop production and processing by women groups in Ghana. He was the first Director General of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) in 1994 and first Chair of the Governing Council of the University of The Gambia in 1999. He is proud father (one son & two daughters) and grandfather (two granddaughters).

A Public Health expert and specialist clinician with 30 years national experience of which 8 years as consultant oral surgeon and head of Dental/Oral surgery department, 9 years as Director for Health Services in the Gambia and over 25 years of international Public Health experience. Dr George’s international experience includes working with the World Health Organization for 2 years as health systems adviser (Regional Office/AFRO), 5 years as WHO Representative to Ghana, 2½ years as WHO Representative to Uganda and 1 year as Coordinator in the Global Health Workforce Alliance in WHO/Geneva). He also worked as consultant for WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS in Kenya (Ministry of Finance /UNAIDS: Review accountability structures of Global Fund grant awards to Kenya and align them with national coordination mechanisms and systems), in Liberia (health sector assessment, policy and 2 year plan of action, in Sierra Leone (Health sector analysis and a draft position paper to the UNICEF Board, New York for a Sector Country Programme), in The Gambia (World Bank/ Ministry of Education: Demand for Non Formal Education among women and young girls (Health component), UNICEF/Gambia. Dr George was also consultant for the Health sector analysis and Report "Situation of Women and Children in The Gambia" (Health component), Ministry of Education/Catholic Relief Services/UNICEF: Evaluation of Joint Assisted Non-Formal Education Project. He was WHO Regional Office for Africa (Brazzaville/Congo) Temporary Adviser/ Chairman, Special Regional Working Group on WHO’s Constitution and the Brain Drain Problem in Africa.

Dr A.B. Hatib Njie - MB ChB; MSc (MCH); MRCOG; FWACS

A Gambian national by birth, Dr Njie obtained his medical degrees of MB ChB from the University of Bristol School of Medicine in 1967, and undertook specialization training in Obstetrics and Gynaecological in the Professorial Units of the University of Bristol and the Royal Postgraduate Medical College, Hammersmith Hospital, London respectively. He obtained his Membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 1972, became of Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons in 1975 and in 1980 obtained a Masters degree in Public Health from the University of London Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street, London, specialising in mother and Child Health.

Dr Njie returned home to The Gambia in 1973 rising to the rank of Senior Consultant Obstetrician Gynaecologist at the (now) Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital. He moved to the Ministry of Health in 1980 as Assistant Director of Medical Services and to Director of Medical Services in 1985, in which posts he became intimately involved in the roll-out of the Gambia’s first Primary Health Care Action Plan.

Dr Njie was seconded to the World Health Organization in 1989 first as Team Leader of the reproductive and child health inter-country support team in Bamako, Mali, from where he was transferred to the WHO Regional Office in Brazzaville, Congo as the Regional Adviser on Reproductive and Child Health in 1990. From 1994 to 2000, he held the post of WHO Country Representative in Uganda and between 2000 and 2002 the position of Senior Policy Adviser in the Office of the Director General in Geneva.

Augustus Prom

Augustus is the managing practitioner of Augustus Prom – Chartered Certified Accountants & Management Consultants. He established the firm in 1984 providing services of accounting, auditing, taxation and business advisory services. The firm has grown from a small enterprise to a one of the leading service providers in the Gambia continuing to render such services and increasing its portfolio.

Prior to establishing the firm, he was with the Accountant General’s Department in the Ministry of Finance, Banjul as Senior Accountant with responsibilities of analytical review of budget proposals from departments and ministries and the controlling of the budget estimates of the Finance Department. He then joined the National Investment Board (NIB) of the Gambia as a Financial Analyst and rose to the level of Financial Controller with the Board (NIB) before leaving in 1984 to practise as an accountant. He was responsible for the management of the financial portfolio of the Board.

He was also the past president of the Gambia Association of Accountants (GAA) from 1995 to 1999 and has served as a council member of The Association of Accounting Bodies of West African (AABWA) 1994 to 1999. He is a Fellow (FCCA) of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK (ACCA).

He was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of The Gambia from 1994 to 1998. Mr. Prom also served as a Subject Matter Specialist of the Joint Public Accounts Committee and Public Enterprise Committee (PAC/PEC) of The National Assembly of the Gambia, from 2007 to 2012.

Peter J. N'Dow - (JR) MSc, BSc (Hons)

Peter NDow is project manager for the African Development Bank (ADB) and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) funded Artisanal Fisheries Development Project in the Gambia (2003 to now). This project saw the construction of the first modern fisheries port and fish market in The Gambia. He was awarded BSc (Hons) in Fisheries studies from Humberside University (UK) in 1990 and a Masters degree in Fisheries Science from Hull University (UK) in 1991. Prior to this, Peter spent a year in Japan in 1984 in the Kanagawa International Fisheries Training Center (KIFTC) in Japan where he studied Coastal Fisheries Extension. He returned to Japan in 1998 to Kanagawa International Fisheries Training Center (KIFTC) to train in Fisheries Development Planning. His earlier working life was spent at the Fisheries Department in The Gambia (1979 – 2003). During this time he co-ordinated the implementation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded artisanal development fisheries projects in The Gambia (in Bakau, Tanji and Gunjur).